GS300 Starter Replacement
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 419
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From: Mississippi
GS300 Starter Replacement
Hey guys, I was looking through some pics on my camera and found the ones I took when I changed the starter on my GS300. If anyone is interested, I can do a write up on the change. It took me two hours and you don't need any special tools, just some sockets, extensions, a breaker bar, and some wobble joints. If you can change your plugs, you can do this, ****** the stealership. By the way, I used a remanufactured unit from Autozone that I paid $150 for instead letting my dealer change just the starter contacts. It was the same amount of money either way and Autozone gives you a lifetime warranty for the part. DIY'ers Unite.
P.S. Mods can you make this a sticky when I post the pics, I wish I knew how easy it was and it wouldn't have taken me so long to tackle this job.
P.S. Mods can you make this a sticky when I post the pics, I wish I knew how easy it was and it wouldn't have taken me so long to tackle this job.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: MA
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I thought I had a starter issue too but Kaiser pointed me to a couple of threads where the bolt going from the battery to the starter either had corrosion or the bolt was loose.
Here's what I did and I haven't had any issues since.
1) disconnect (+) battery terminal
2) jack up car
3) trace (+) wire down to the starter that is actually mounted on the front part of the transmission just in front of the driver's side footwell.
4) pull rubber sleeve up and away from the bolt.
5) undo bolt
6) spray with WD40 to loosen up the grime and wipe it clean.
7) do the reverse and start the car!
good luck man.
Clifford
Here's what I did and I haven't had any issues since.
1) disconnect (+) battery terminal
2) jack up car
3) trace (+) wire down to the starter that is actually mounted on the front part of the transmission just in front of the driver's side footwell.
4) pull rubber sleeve up and away from the bolt.
5) undo bolt
6) spray with WD40 to loosen up the grime and wipe it clean.
7) do the reverse and start the car!
good luck man.
Clifford
No interest is what I'm assuming lol.
I can do a writeup with pictures, but it seems like not so many people DIY on these cars to that level. Most guys here will do basic stuff like intakes, exhaust, lights, body panels, etc. But when it comes to actual engine work, most people shy away.
Honestly it's not that hard. I've had to do it 2 times already because I shattered my flex plate one time and it took out the starter with it. I replaced my starter a second time when I realized that the broken flexplate was killing the starter lol. I'll do a quick written guide below.
Tools needed:
- The commonly obvious stuff like jack, and jackstands.
- 14mm and 12mm 3/8" drive sockets. Clearance is tight so 1/2" sockets might not fit.
- A second jack, you're going to use it to hold up the transmission.
- Long 3/8" extension like around 18inches or so. Or you can double up two shorter ones.
- A 3/8" universal joint or as some people call it, a wobbly.
- Air tools will make this go a LOT faster.
Steps:
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal. You don't want to be sparking down there when you're working on the starter.
2. Get under the car and undo the power cable to the starter(12mm nut). Then unclip the conector for the starter solenoid on the side of the starter.
3. Unbolt the exhaust where the header meets the mid-pipe.
4. Put jack under the transmission pan with a piece of wood on top of the jack so you don't dent the pan in. Unbolt the 4 transmission bracket bolts near the rear of the trans. Lower the jack slowly until it's just hanging there and then push it up just a hair so the engine isn't hanging too hard on the engine mounts.
5. Get the long extension, wobble joint, and put the 14mm socket on. You should now have enough clearance to reach the two starter bolts. They go in from the back of the engine where the transmission bellhousing mates to the engine.
6. After bolts are out, remove the starter and swap out to the new starter. Or you can rebuild the old starter with new brushes and contacts.
That should be it really...pretty straightforward. Just put everything back in reverse order.
I can do a writeup with pictures, but it seems like not so many people DIY on these cars to that level. Most guys here will do basic stuff like intakes, exhaust, lights, body panels, etc. But when it comes to actual engine work, most people shy away.
Honestly it's not that hard. I've had to do it 2 times already because I shattered my flex plate one time and it took out the starter with it. I replaced my starter a second time when I realized that the broken flexplate was killing the starter lol. I'll do a quick written guide below.
Tools needed:
- The commonly obvious stuff like jack, and jackstands.
- 14mm and 12mm 3/8" drive sockets. Clearance is tight so 1/2" sockets might not fit.
- A second jack, you're going to use it to hold up the transmission.
- Long 3/8" extension like around 18inches or so. Or you can double up two shorter ones.
- A 3/8" universal joint or as some people call it, a wobbly.
- Air tools will make this go a LOT faster.
Steps:
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal. You don't want to be sparking down there when you're working on the starter.
2. Get under the car and undo the power cable to the starter(12mm nut). Then unclip the conector for the starter solenoid on the side of the starter.
3. Unbolt the exhaust where the header meets the mid-pipe.
4. Put jack under the transmission pan with a piece of wood on top of the jack so you don't dent the pan in. Unbolt the 4 transmission bracket bolts near the rear of the trans. Lower the jack slowly until it's just hanging there and then push it up just a hair so the engine isn't hanging too hard on the engine mounts.
5. Get the long extension, wobble joint, and put the 14mm socket on. You should now have enough clearance to reach the two starter bolts. They go in from the back of the engine where the transmission bellhousing mates to the engine.
6. After bolts are out, remove the starter and swap out to the new starter. Or you can rebuild the old starter with new brushes and contacts.
That should be it really...pretty straightforward. Just put everything back in reverse order.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: fl
No interest is what I'm assuming lol.
I can do a writeup with pictures, but it seems like not so many people DIY on these cars to that level. Most guys here will do basic stuff like intakes, exhaust, lights, body panels, etc. But when it comes to actual engine work, most people shy away.
Honestly it's not that hard. I've had to do it 2 times already because I shattered my flex plate one time and it took out the starter with it. I replaced my starter a second time when I realized that the broken flexplate was killing the starter lol. I'll do a quick written guide below.
Tools needed:
- The commonly obvious stuff like jack, and jackstands.
- 14mm and 12mm 3/8" drive sockets. Clearance is tight so 1/2" sockets might not fit.
- A second jack, you're going to use it to hold up the transmission.
- Long 3/8" extension like around 18inches or so. Or you can double up two shorter ones.
- A 3/8" universal joint or as some people call it, a wobbly.
- Air tools will make this go a LOT faster.
Steps:
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal. You don't want to be sparking down there when you're working on the starter.
2. Get under the car and undo the power cable to the starter(12mm nut). Then unclip the conector for the starter solenoid on the side of the starter.
3. Unbolt the exhaust where the header meets the mid-pipe.
4. Put jack under the transmission pan with a piece of wood on top of the jack so you don't dent the pan in. Unbolt the 4 transmission bracket bolts near the rear of the trans. Lower the jack slowly until it's just hanging there and then push it up just a hair so the engine isn't hanging too hard on the engine mounts.
5. Get the long extension, wobble joint, and put the 14mm socket on. You should now have enough clearance to reach the two starter bolts. They go in from the back of the engine where the transmission bellhousing mates to the engine.
6. After bolts are out, remove the starter and swap out to the new starter. Or you can rebuild the old starter with new brushes and contacts.
That should be it really...pretty straightforward. Just put everything back in reverse order.
I can do a writeup with pictures, but it seems like not so many people DIY on these cars to that level. Most guys here will do basic stuff like intakes, exhaust, lights, body panels, etc. But when it comes to actual engine work, most people shy away.
Honestly it's not that hard. I've had to do it 2 times already because I shattered my flex plate one time and it took out the starter with it. I replaced my starter a second time when I realized that the broken flexplate was killing the starter lol. I'll do a quick written guide below.
Tools needed:
- The commonly obvious stuff like jack, and jackstands.
- 14mm and 12mm 3/8" drive sockets. Clearance is tight so 1/2" sockets might not fit.
- A second jack, you're going to use it to hold up the transmission.
- Long 3/8" extension like around 18inches or so. Or you can double up two shorter ones.
- A 3/8" universal joint or as some people call it, a wobbly.
- Air tools will make this go a LOT faster.
Steps:
1. Disconnect negative battery terminal. You don't want to be sparking down there when you're working on the starter.
2. Get under the car and undo the power cable to the starter(12mm nut). Then unclip the conector for the starter solenoid on the side of the starter.
3. Unbolt the exhaust where the header meets the mid-pipe.
4. Put jack under the transmission pan with a piece of wood on top of the jack so you don't dent the pan in. Unbolt the 4 transmission bracket bolts near the rear of the trans. Lower the jack slowly until it's just hanging there and then push it up just a hair so the engine isn't hanging too hard on the engine mounts.
5. Get the long extension, wobble joint, and put the 14mm socket on. You should now have enough clearance to reach the two starter bolts. They go in from the back of the engine where the transmission bellhousing mates to the engine.
6. After bolts are out, remove the starter and swap out to the new starter. Or you can rebuild the old starter with new brushes and contacts.
That should be it really...pretty straightforward. Just put everything back in reverse order.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: fl
tried to do it today before it started to rain, i disconnected the battery, disconnected the start plug, and unbolted the bolt under the rubber sleeve, i think i can see 2 bolts through the transmission holding in the started, (bolts are facing starter, hard to get to) but i cant find the others.